Without You
by helenablythe
Summary: Sarada is facing difficulties dealing with the separation of her parents and wants them to get back together. Sakura, on the other hand, wants to escape from the clutches of the elders of the Uchiha clan and move on from the scars that they've caused her. Sasuke...he just wants his family back. What would it take for Sasuke and Sakura to rekindle their relationship?
1. Chapter 1

Sarada Uchiha was 7 years old when her parents separated. She could still remember her younger self asking why she and Mama are moving out without her Papa, but all her mother could do was give her a faint, yet sad smile.

"Don't you love Papa anymore, Mama?" Sarada would ask, but Mama would shrug her question off with a tight embrace then, her eyes would become a little glassy. It's as if she desperately wanted to stop her tears from falling.

Maybe it was her Mama's way of telling her that some things don't work even if there's love. After that, Sarada stopped asking about her mom's feelings towards her father.

Now, she's almost 12 but she still couldn't bring herself to get used to their complicated set up and every day, Sarada wishes for her parents to get back together, for things to go back to the way they were before.

Every morning, her Papa's trusty old butler, Aoda-san picks her up and drives her to school. Sometimes, Papa does it but only when he's not busy. However, he is always occupied with work and he has to go to a lot of trips to meet important people ever since he took over Uchiha Inc.

Mama on the other hand, tries her absolute best to make enough time for her despite her tight schedule as Konoha Medical Center's top surgeon.

Sarada understands perfectly well that her parents are working hard for her future, but sometimes she cannot help but feel a little lonely because she's missing her old home.

"Sarada, don't forget to lock the doors while I'm gone." Sarada mumbled "Hai, Mama" lazily because she's been saying it over and over again.

"Do you want me to give Aoda-san a call and ask him to— "Mama worries a lot despite knowing that she's big enough to fend for herself and on top of that she has to hurry for another surgery today.

"It's fine Mama! I can take care of myself." Sarada interjected. Besides, she has someone else in mind who can keep her company while her Mama is at work because she couldn't stand Aoda-san's ramblings about the great Uchiha clan which she belongs to even if she's fond of the old man.

"Alright, but remember something happens you should call me or Aoda-san." Mama gave her a kiss and hugged her briefly before rushing out.

* * *

Being a_ "single"_ mother is not easy.

Sakura struggled to give her precious daughter enough time while working a full time job which requires her to be on call most of the time even during holidays. There was a moment when she had to cancel her reservation in some fancy restaurant to celebrate Sarada's birthday because of an emergency surgery that requires her immediate assistance. She was hesitant to go because she couldn't afford to disappoint her daughter on her birthday but in the end, Sarada urged her to go because saving lives is what she does.

Nevertheless, she tried to make it up to her daughter by taking her in an amusement park with her Cho-Cho Akimichi because she doesn't want Sarada to force herself to grow up because of what happened between her and Sasuke.

After legally separating* with her ex-husband, she worked hard to finish where she left off with her dissertation. It was left unfinished because she had to put it aside prior to her marriage with Sasuke because she had to learn the customs of his clan. The elders, who are extremely traditionalist, made it absolutely clear that she has to be honed to be an Uchiha matriarch aka someone who's capable of upholding their traditions and mingling with people from Konohagakure's high society.

A great amount of pressure was given to her since Sasuke is the clan's future leader because his older brother, Itachi made it clear that he has no interest in the clan's business and he wants to manage a non-profit organization known as Akatsuki that helps impoverished areas across the five great nations and builds schools for children.

Regardless of being an "outsider" she gave up a lot and proved herself to be worthy of their name by sacrificing her career goals and dreams to live up to his family's expectations but…

Enough is enough.

One day, she woke up and found herself stuck in an unhappy home and her marriage is in shambles.

People often ask her what went wrong but she would always shrug it off with a smile and change the topic immediately because her heart still couldn't bear to share that chapter… at least, not now.

"Uchiha-sensei? Tsunade-sama asked for you in her office." Oh how she dreaded being addressed in that name! She was allowed to move out with Sarada on the condition that she keeps their surname and won't ask for divorce since it would put the clan's reputation in shame.

"I'll be there shortly, thanks."

The nurse who's probably an intern made her way out with a polite bow.

Sakura sighed as she compiled her research materials neatly. After her surgery, she spent all her time cooped up in the hospital's research facility since her mentor wanted to make her hospital a center for medical research and as one of the top surgeons in Konoha Medical Center, she's being honed to be Tsunade Senju's successor that is why she's aiming to produce more papers to prove that she's perfectly competent for the job.

* * *

"Mama is late." Sarada pouted as she flipped through the pages of her notebook lazily. She just finished her extra credit activity with a little help from her favorite uncle, Itachi. He just got back from his 6-month project in Sunagakure where he built a small school for Suna's impoverished area.

"Aren't you happy that your Mama saves a lot of people, Sara-chan?" Itachi looked at his beloved niece fondly, he can't help but notice the resemblance between her and his little brother. She looks so much like Sasuke especially when she pouts.

"Of course I'm happy oji-san! But I'd like to spend time with her too because I rarely see Papa" She pouted even more.

"I see, but you have me Sara-chan." Itachi smiled reassuringly and patted her head.

Sarada's eyes glimmered in delight and her face turned slightly pink at her uncle's reassuring words. She hopes that he could stay longer with her because he makes her feel less lonely, but he has to leave in 5 days for his project in Iwagakure.

"Come on, let's finish this box of Anmitsu before your Mama gets home" Itachi opened another box of sweets and served it to his niece.

Sarada giggled upon the imagining how Mama would react upon seeing her gobbling up too much sweets after breakfast.

This weekend, she was allowed to skip her "traditional ojou-sama" classes with a private tutor because her grandparents, Mikoto obaa-san and Fugaku oji-san are taking her on a trip to Kumogakure to visit an old friend. Although, she only accepted their invitation so she can read her newly bought book while on board Shinkansen and escape from the strict tutor that the elders hired for her.

"Tadaima" Sakura tiredly said as she made her way inside her house. Usually, Sarada greets her but it's her day off from school today so maybe she overslept.

She heard her daughter's laughter as she passed their living room, and there she saw Sarada and her brother in law snacking on sweets.

Sakura smiled upon the sight of her daughter acting her age, her separation with Sasuke kind of forced Sarada to act like an adult a little because she was left with half of her responsibilities at home. That's why seeing her laughing so carefree with Itachi makes her happy, at least now, she knows the reason why her daughter wouldn't let her call Aoda-san last night because Sarada knew beforehand that her uncle is coming home and wants to spend time with him.

They didn't notice her arrival so she quietly slipped in the kitchen to prepare something for them. After all, it has been a long time since she spoke to her brother-in-law.

* * *

Itachi came home after lunch. He had a great time bonding with his cute niece and catching things up with his sister-in-law (he still considers her as his sister-in-law despite the fact her marriage with his younger brother ended five years ago).

He's planning to take a short nap because he didn't get much sleep last night because Sarada coaxed him to tell her stories about his trips outside Konoha until she fell asleep. His niece is a delightful child and he's grateful towards Sakura for raising her to be a kind, responsible, and studious young lady. He believes that one day, Sarada will do great things for their clan because she was raised well, contrary to what the elders believe.

Itachi couldn't help but blame the elders for causing Sasuke and Sakura's marriage to end. Their expectations towards Sakura drove her astray to his little brother and it's affecting Sarada too. First, they were so adamant at not allowing Sasuke marry Sakura because she's an outsider and the elders had the audacity to force his little brother to meet distant cousins whom they call "women of great background" in spite of his engagement to Sakura.

In the end, they had no choice but to allow Sasuke to make Sakura his wife after Fugaku Uchiha had a word with them. His father may appear stoic and stiff, but he wanted nothing but for his sons to be happy that is why he showed his support by convincing the elders that Sakura Haruno is the perfect match for his son.

"How was your trip, Aniki?" Itachi snapped out of his thoughts upon the arrival of his little brother.

Sasuke just came home after spending a week cooped up in his office to meet the deadlines and requirements of Uchiha Inc.'s launch of a new game in the market. He didn't have a decent sleep for weeks and it shows because of the bags under his eyes. However, as soon as he heard that his elder brother got home, he let Shisui handle everything else.

"Ah, how are you Sasuke?" The sight of his little brother made him barely recognizable. Sasuke was always neat and tidy, he won't allow himself to go on without having a clean shave and let his clothes be crumpled nor his hair look disheveled.

After Sakura moved out, Sasuke found himself drowning in work to keep himself distracted. He never thought that her of all people would give up on him because he always believed that Sakura's love for him shall never waver for she gave up so much for his sake.

However, that was the case. He was the reason why Sakura left him and after all these years he still blames himself for what happened.

"I'm good, nii-san. I just need a little rest." He sat next to his elder brother who was admiring their mother's beautiful garden which Sakura used to tend in her free time.

Itachi nodded. Silence enveloped the two siblings. It was a perfect afternoon for a nap, yet, Itachi sees it as the opportunity to knock some sense on his little brother. It's time for him to stop moping around and see his daughter.

Sasuke's face softened at the memory of his ex-wife who fondly doted at his mother's favorite flowers. She's an accomplished woman who chose to stand by his side and forget about her goals and dreams for the sake of ensuring his position as the next leader of the clan, yet, he failed her in so many ways.

He's the sole reason why their marriage failed that is why he couldn't bring himself to see her and their daughter out of shame.

"Sara-chan is so grown up." Itachi broke the silence between them.

"She is." A small smile crept on his face upon the memory of his daughter.

All of her firsts that he didn't miss and all the moments they had together as a family came flashing right down to his mind like crazy. And each time he's reminded of them, Sasuke cannot help but feel a tinge of guilt because he couldn't bring the good times back.

"When are you going to see them?" Sasuke went stiff. The thought never crossed his mind at all, because he has been very busy with work. What is he going to say? He's a failure as a father and he couldn't bring himself to send even a card on his daughter's birthday. Aoda tells him often that Sarada misses him so much because the old man could see how much she's longing for her Papa.

"I don't know." That's all he could say. Sasuke gathered up his remaining energy and went to his room. He's simply too tired to deal with his issues with his broken family and all he wanted right now is a shuteye.

Later, Sasuke found himself driving towards Sakura's house with a bag of books for Sarada in the front seat of his car. He kept thinking of his conversation with his elder brother and it made sense because he's a father, and it is high time that he started acting like one. However, the problem is, He doesn't know how to connect with his almost teenage daughter because she's no longer the same little girl who used to beg for sweets from him.

Maybe all he needs right now is to see Sarada even if it's way past her bed time, that is probably the only way for him to find out how he'll deal with her.

As he was about to pull into Sakura's drive way, he stopped upon seeing Gaara walking his ex-wife right at her doorway.

Sasuke felt his blood rushing, but at the same time he felt a pang in his chest when he saw Sakura smiling so carefree. When was the last time he saw her smile like that?

Now, Sakura looks so free since she's away from the sight of the elders. She was able to reach her goals in her career and she looks so independent. She's far from the Sakura who used to wait for him at home, the Sakura who did nothing but be a dutiful wife to him, because he couldn't accept the thought that he never made her happy at all.

* * *

"Thanks for the dinner, Gaara-san." Sakura smiled politely. It was pure coincidence that they met while she's presenting her paper at a conference earlier today.

"It was my pleasure, in fact, I wanted to see you personally after hearing Uchiha Inc.'s project in building a free clinic for children's mental health." It was one of the projects under the charities of her ex-husband's company that she manages until now. She worked hard for it that is why Sasuke gave it to her completely and he promised to continue supporting her advocacy.

"Alright, then. I'll see you in a few weeks in Suna. Thanks again, Gaara-san."

For days, Sasuke kept thinking about Sakura in spite of doing everything that he can absorb himself with work, as usual.

He's considering getting away for a while so he can think calmly, but he couldn't afford to leave—not when his relationship with his daughter isn't working out well.

Yesterday, Sasuke asked Aoda to give Sarada his gift, but instead of reacting warmly at his gesture, she only pouted and tossed the gift bag to her room like it's nothing which means, his daughter wasn't completely ecstatic at him despite getting her the latest collection of the detective series that she likes so much.

Sasuke sighed and massaged his temples. Nothing has been going right for him after seeing his ex-wife because apparently, Shisui's secretary misplaced the flash drive that contains all the details about the game that their company is about to launch. If that thing falls into the wrong hands, a major problem could arise.

A short, loud knock interrupted his thoughts and a frantic Suigetsu came into his office.

"You gotta come outside." He said while catching his breath. Sasuke gave him a puzzled look.

"What's happening this time?" Sasuke cannot afford more glitches because he has a lot on his plate now.

"It's your daughter."

* * *

Sarada knows that Mama would flip if she finds out that she ran off to her Papa's office without Aoda-san. Sakura Uchiha made it absolutely clear to her daughter that she cannot wander off to places without her father's butler because it's not safe.

She was asked by the receptionist to wait in the lobby because she's going to call the big boss. While waiting, Sarada took out her Science homework because the stares coming from her Papa's employees makes her feel uncomfortable. Now, she regrets running off without Aoda-san. Her father never once brought her to work because he doesn't want her to feel pressured on her role as the daughter of Uchiha Inc.'s CEO and the leader of their clan, but now she kind of wishes that Papa did so the people won't look at her as if she's some kind of an untouchable being.

Then, she saw a familiar face. It's one of her Papa's college friends whom she met once. It was the same man who made her cry when he thought that she's Karin-san's daughter.

Upon seeing Sarada, Suigetsu Hozuki dashed off to Sasuke's office. Apparently, he still couldn't get over with his encounter with the little version of Sasuke who pouted and cried when he joked about her being Karin's kid.

Suigetsu shuddered at the memory of Sakura, who threatened to cut him into tiny pieces using her old scalpel for making her sweet daughter cry. That's why, from that moment he made up his mind that he won't go near Sarada nor her pink haired mother.

He was not sure what the heck happened between Sasuke and his wife, but judging from Sasuke's reaction, he fucked up really bad. The man looks like he's unsure of how he's going to approach his mini me.

"Hey man, I gotta go so, uhh, good luck handling your spawn." Suigetsu scurried away fast before Sasuke could say anything.

* * *

Sasuke, on the other hand fixed his tie because he couldn't afford to let his daughter see him looking less than neat. Sakura once told him that Sarada looks up to him and thinks that he's perfect that is why he's doing his best to fix his relationship with her because he doesn't want to end up losing her too.

He saw her doing her homework in the lobby.

Sasuke couldn't help but see his _ex-wife _at his little girl. The way how serious Sarada looks while doing her homework reminds him so much of Sakura when they were kids.

A lot of people say that Sarada resembles him the most but he doesn't think that way because for him, his daughter looks more of his ex-wife than him especially when she smiles.

"Oi. Let's go." Sarada looked at her Papa briefly. Despite his clean outfit, it's still obvious that he hasn't been getting much sleep because of the bags under his eyes.

"Mm." She nodded. Sasuke noticed the stares coming from his employees. Come to think of it, he never brought Sarada in his office before that's why it's no wonder people are curious.

He cleared his throat and led Sarada to the parking lot.

"Give Sakura a call and let her know that you're with me." he tossed his mobile phone to his daughter who only huffed at him. He was certain that Sarada didn't inform her mother nor the old man that she's coming here based on her reaction.

It took a couple rings before Sakura answered Sasuke's call.

_"Mama?" _Sakura was surprised to hear Sarada's voice on the other line. She's not against with the idea of Sarada meeting her Papa but she didn't ask for her permission, nor let her know about her plans to see Sasuke.

_"Sarada?! You're supposed to be at school!"_ Worry was evident in her voice. After all, Sakura never lets her daughter go out on her own because it's not safe. Some malicious people could hurt her, people who are enemies of Sasuke's clan.

_"I'm sorry Mama, I just want to see Papa." _Sarada reasoned out.

Sakura massaged her temples and slumped in her swivel chair. She knows that her daughter is going through puberty and soon, she'll start thinking of going independent and ask for Aoda-san to stop driving her to school.

_"Sarada, give the phone to your Papa. I want to speak with him." _Speaking with her ex-husband is the last thing that she wants to do, but she doesn't have much of a choice right now because she wants to make some things clear to Sasuke.

All Sasuke did was listen and agree to Sakura's conditions. He has to get their daughter home before 8:00 o'clock in the evening and he had to promise her that he's not taking her to see the elders because she's afraid that they will take Sarada away from her… by force.

If not for his intervention, the elders would have taken Sarada and send her away where Sakura can't reach her. However, he managed to convince them to allow him and his wife to legally separate and for Sarada to be raised by her mother because it is her right to do so. That was his way of redeeming himself for all the disappointments and pain he caused her.

He took his daughter in her favorite ice cream shop because he knows that Sarada's love for this store will never change. Of course, he used to go here a lot to satisfy Sakura's cravings while she was pregnant with their daughter.

_"Mou~ Sasuke-kun I want an ice cream." Sakura pouted cutely. She knew that her husband couldn't resist her pouts no matter how much he denies it._

_Sasuke Uchiha on the other hand, came tired from work and now his 6-month pregnant wife wants her cravings at this ungodly hour to be satisfied. Reasoning out that it's hard to get what she wants is futile because Sakura will end up with big f— no, not the "f" word because it will upset her more. Let's just say that she'll beg him until he gives what she wants._

Now he can totally understand Shikamaru when he says "troublesome".

His lips curved into a small smile upon watching his daughter gobble up a cherry flavored ice cream because the way her face lights up makes him feel like some part of Sarada has not changed. His daughter is growing up so fast and like other fathers, a part of Sasuke wishes that his little girl would stay under his wing longer.

* * *

Sarada's mood changed when her Papa got her favorite ice cream, he really does know her way to her heart and appreciates the thought that at least, a thing between them has not changed. It's been a long time since she and her Papa got to spend a day together because he was too busy running a huge business empire.

Sasuke doesn't know what to do next once they went out of the ice cream shop. Then, he saw her looking at a small arcade where kids her age are playing.

He approached the store's staff asking how much would the claw machine cost, but the poor staff replied frantically that he has to buy tokens to get the prize inside. Thinking that his daughter wanted the biggest cat plushie, he bought a lot of tokens and started playing like the other kids much to Sarada's dismay.

The mere sight of her father playing like a kid in an arcade made Sarada frown. It completely destroyed how she sees_ Sasuke Uchiha_ because she never expected him to do something uncool… ever. To her, Papa is a good looking business man who wears clean dark suits with blue or purple neck tie. He's always serious and perfect in every way.

She wanted to leave her Papa because she cannot stand seeing him embarrassing himself as he kept on losing on each try to get the biggest prize inside the claw machine.

However, when she saw a disheveled looking man with his son on a piggy back ride. It is obvious that the man lacked enough sleep and he looks tired, but he's trying hard for his son. Maybe her Papa is just the same and it made Sarada feel bad for thinking that her father looks uncool for trying to give what she wants. She realized that her father is not perfect and he will never be, no matter how much he tries to conceal his flaws. What's important is that her Papa is doing his best to be a good father to her.

Sasuke lost count on how many times he failed. He wanted to break the claw machine so badly and just pay for the damages, but he wants to set a good example for his daughter. Besides, doing this is nothing compared to failing to be a good father to Sarada.

Then, after a few more tries he finally got it.

"Sugoi, Papa!" Sarada enveloped him in an embrace and it made his Uchiha heart flutter with joy. The people inside the arcade could see his cheeks become a little red, but he didn't mind at all because what matters to him right now is making his daughter happy.

Sasuke poked Sarada's forehead affectionately, the same way his older brother used to do when they were kids.

* * *

**A/n: At first I planned to write everything in a single chapter, but it was pretty hard because I got hooked up with other stuff since I had to set up a couple of things to snag an interview for the job I wanted. I'd like to say thanks to all the people from SasuSaku on Facebook for reading the preview version of this and for waiting for me to publish the whole thing.**

**I'll post the coming chapters as soon as I can. Thank you very much!**

**Btw, Sasuke and Sakura are legally separated, and since there's no legal separation in Japan, I've used the provisions of legal separation of my country. It means that they are legally separated but cannot marry again.**


	2. NOTE (PLEASE READ)

Hi everyone!

I am very grateful for your kind words and feedback on this story, but I'm afraid that it's taking me a while to post an update because I'm working on a night shift and I barely have time to write. However, I promise that I WILL DEFINITELY FINISH THE WHOLE THING (even if takes too long). I won't fail you, my dear readers! I will do my best to keep this under 10 or 15 chapters.

An edited version of this is posted on my Tumblr page.

Here's the link:

blog/ennablythe

By the way, I am planning to continue writing this on Tumblr because it has a better mobile interface. I cannot bring my laptop at work so, I can only use my mobile phone in editing/publishing stories, but I will try to keep on posting updates here... Well, as soon as I can. Tee hee.


	3. Chapter 2

_**FIVE YEARS AGO**_

_Sakura woke up in a room with white walls where the smell of disinfectant lingers so much. Events from last night flashed through her mind which made her feel a little dizzy._

_On her bedside, her husband was sleeping soundly, but something is wrong, she could feel it._

_She tapped her husband's shoulder softly._

_"Sasuke-kun, where's my baby?_

* * *

Sakura tried to make herself busy by choosing a dress for the Charity Gala in Sunagakure next week. Since her advocacy for children's mental health is spreading across the great five nations, her presence is needed. Of course, Sasuke will be there too, as the project was spearheaded by Uchiha Inc.

No, she's not going to dress up for his sake. She's doing this for herself since she's the founder of the Children's Mental Health Foundation. Besides, she's also doing this for Sarada's sake, because she wants to build a network of people who will support her position in the clan someday.

In her intensive training under the wing of Uchiha women, Sakura learned a great deal from them when it comes to politics involving the clan and the business empire that the Uchihas run. And Sakura does not want Sarada to lose her rightful place because of her gender. After all, generations after generations the great Uchiha clan was led by men, and Sarada is the first girl who was born from the main branch that is why Sakura must secure her daughter's position by gaining the right friends to back her up.

The elders are sneaky bastards, once they find a suitable candidate to be Sasuke's second wife, they will grant the divorce that she's been asking a long time ago and strip Sarada of her status as heir and maybe they'll arrange her marriage to some rich business partner for the benefit of the clan and their empire.

She cannot afford for that to happen that is why she is doing everything in her power to protect Sarada's future and happiness.

* * *

Sasuke pulled his car in Sakura's driveway. He feels a little hesitant whether he should come out and see his ex-wife. Maybe it's best if he shouldn't because seeing him might upset her.

"Papa? Aren't you coming in?" Sarada on the other hand, wants to invite her father for dinner—be together like the old times. She's pretty certain that Mama would make room for her Papa and she won't drive him away.

"No, I—" Sasuke trailed off, thinking of the best response the would convince his daughter. "I still have work to do." But he ended up saying his same old excuse.

Sarada didn't look convinced, but in the end she chose to let her Papa go because she understands completely how much responsibility her father carries as the CEO of Uchiha Inc.

Sakura watched her ex-husband drive away from the window in her living room. Today, she added tomatoes on her Miso soup thinking that Sasuke will join them for dinner but he didn't. She kind of expected that Sarada would invite him and didn't want to disappoint her that's why she made sure to cook enough for the three of them.

* * *

**_Sunagakure_**

Sakura didn't have a choice but to leave her daughter in her grandparents' house because she cannot take Sarada with her on a school day. After all, her daughter is running for honors that is why she cannot afford to miss a class. Mikoto-san assured her that Sarada is going to be fine with them, after all, her husband swore that he will protect their grandchild from the leeches that surround their clan.

Much to Sakura's dismay, the cab that she called prior to her flight to Suna is fashionably late. She's been waiting for at least half an hour. She tried calling the driver but he's not answering. In the end, she was forced to book a ride through her ride hailing app.

But before she could finalize her booking, a black BMW stopped in front of her. She knew right then that it was Sasuke's. She rolled her eyes when his chauffeur opened the door for her and took her suitcases in the compartment.

Without saying a word, she sat beside him, but far enough to make a body contact. It's no wonder why she cannot contact her cab driver, Sasuke's secretary must have checked if she booked a ride and hotel room and did some magic. After all, in every engagement involving the clan and the company, the two of them must make public appearances together to avoid gossip, that's what the elders said in one of their conditions to allow them to legally separate.

The whole ride to their penthouse was silent. Sakura kept on scrolling on her smartphone pretending that she's busy or something—even if Sasuke knew that she's just setting up a pretense to avoid speaking to him.

Sasuke's chauffeur didn't drop them off the main entrance of the condominium building to avoid the press and paparazzi who are after the juicy details behind the elusive Uchiha couple. They had to take extreme precaution because this is Sunagakure and they do not have much control over the press here compared to Konoha where Uchihas are holding a huge portion of shares in media companies to keep their gossip forums from reporting anything related to their personal lives.

Sasuke and Sakura took the private elevator the leads straight to their penthouse. It has been a long time since their last event in Suna, the last one was probably eight or ten years ago where they launched Sakura's project under Uchiha Inc.

The whole place still looks the same, except from the ongoing renovations in the master bedroom. Sakura was worried that they would have to share a room, but Sasuke was quick to put an ease to her mind.

"I'll take the couch. You can sleep in the guest room." Sakura sighed in relief and went inside the guestroom.

Sakura flew straight to Sunagakure after a graveyard shift at the hospital. Last night she had to take the lead in two surgeries since the hospital was a little chaotic because they had to treat patients from a nearby accident. That is why she needs a long hot bath to relieve her aching muscles. But first she needs to unpack her things.

In the end, she couldn't choose the perfect dress for the Charity Gala that's why she called Ino for help. Her friend has been a known figure in Konoha for her unique couture designs and agreed to lend her one of her dresses for this evening's event. Ino showed her the picture and she fell in love with it instantly. It's a burgundy off shoulder dress with a side slit just a couple of inches above the knee. The dress looks very simple and classy which suits her modest taste since Sakura isn't fond of wearing anything that shows too much skin.

Once she's done unpacking, she slipped into her towel and went to the bathroom. She took her cherry blossom scented bath bomb and soaked herself in the tub.

Now's a good time to think about what she's going to say later in her speech. Sakura wants it to be a heartfelt message because she wants to express her compassion for children who have no means to see a mental health professional. Her cause, as what people say, is very timely considering that a lot of troubled kids who didn't go through counseling got themselves involved with illegal activities and substance abuse when they got older. Children are always left vulnerable when life becomes too harsh for their innocent minds, that's why Sakura wants to create a place where they can heal and process things.

Sakura's thoughts about tonight's event were interrupted when the bathroom door suddenly opened, revealing her ex-husband who was dumbfounded upon seeing her so... exposed. Her face became red from embarrassment, then, she grabbed her shampoo and threw it on Sasuke's face.

"How long are you going to stand there? SHANNARO!" She fumed.

Sasuke closed the door immediately. She didn't have to be embarrassed, after all he has seen _it_ long ago. They even have a daughter for god's sake!

* * *

Despite their awkward encounter earlier, the Uchiha couple graced the event with Sakura's arm linked to Sasuke's because they have a face and a reputation to protect.

Sakura was once again facing envious and jealous gazes coming from young ladies across the room, but she paid no heed to them.

Who wouldn't be jealous of Sakura Uchiha? She's wearing Ino Yamanaka's latest couture dress that's fresh from the runway. She's beautiful and she founded a charitable organization that cares for children and she's married to Sasuke Uchiha! Her life must be perfect.

Sakura smiled bitterly, if only they knew what's it like to be an outsider in a prestigious clan with elders who always make her feel that she doesn't belong in their family.

"You look beautiful." Sakura prayed to Kami-sama not to show her ears turning red because despite their marriage ending, she cannot help but feel the same way for him. Her love for Sasuke never changed even if they have been apart for five years, it's just that she cannot fit into his traditional and vieux rich clan especially after what happened on that fateful night.

"Thanks." She replied coyly.

The Uchiha couple smiled and posed for the press as this event is going to be in the morning papers tomorrow. They only parted when some old men wanted to speak with Sasuke about business, the kind of talk that Sakura finds absolutely boring not because she's a woman. She knows enough to keep up with conversations about the economy and finances, but she would rather converse about medical science, it's not like those men are capable of understanding medical jargon right?

An usherette guided her to her designated table, just a few walks from the stage, which is very convenient since she will give a speech about the achievements and purpose of her project.

"Sakura-san! It's so nice to see you here." Temari Nara, the elder sister of Gaara sat beside her. Sakura's face lit up because this night is going to be more bearable since she has a friend beside her.

"Oh! Temari-san, it's been a long time!" She greeted back ecstatically. Sakura hasn't seen her friend for a long time since Shikamaru's deployment in Sunagakure as Konoha's consular general.

"How are you? The last time we met you were expecting your second child!" Sakura's smile faded. Unpleasant memories from the past years flooded her mind, all the what could have been's and the pain of losing her baby. She never moved on from fateful night where she lost her child who would have been in schooling age now.

That's what went wrong in her marriage. After losing her child, she wasn't the same person anymore. Sakura felt so alone and Sasuke was hardly there for her. She was left alone to care for Sarada who was barely old to understand what's going on and she was told to carry on with her duties to the clan.

"Sorry to interrupt your reunion guys, but the program is about to start." It was Karin, one of Sasuke's friends from college and her partner in establishing the foundation.

It may seem weird for some to see her and Karin Uzumaki in good terms because the latter was known for being vocal with her feelings towards Sasuke and there had been occasions where Karin was called terrible names for being too clingy and expressive of her romantic inclination to Uchiha Inc.'s CEO. However, when Sakura was going through difficult times with her marriage, Karin proved to be a reliable ally for sticking to her side when she lost her baby. The two of them worked together to establish a charity dedicated to building a non-profit mental health facility for children.

"Ah, I'll be there Karin-san." She was saved from an awkward situation thanks to Karin. Not all their friends know about the current state of her relationship with Sasuke that is why speaking about it now would seem a little awkward.

The way Sakura shined on stage while briefing the guests about her charity's achievements and purpose astonished Sasuke because of how independent she became after he let her go.

He didn't like it.

Sasuke Uchiha is not fond of the thought that Sakura never felt free nor happy with the duration of their marriage because he gave her everything. She was his world, his only solace when life keeps beating him up. He tried his absolute best to be a good husband to the woman whom he vowed to love forever yet, he failed.

"This initiative by Uchiha Inc. is close to my heart because it is my dream to see a place where children are happy and I believe that by making a mental health facility accessible to everyone would help in making that dream into a reality." The people cheered her as she stepped down the stage. It seemed that they were touched by her heartfelt speech. However, the truth behind the conception of her charity for children was to keep herself from falling apart after losing her baby. It was her way of atoning for her failure to bring him safely into this world.

All these years she passed the blame to Sasuke, but she did the most damage to their marriage because it was she who chose to give up in the first place.

* * *

_**A/n: Sorry for the very short update, but fret not! Because I'm going to post the next chapter this weekend (well, if I can). The next chpater is going to be a flashback. **_

_**Thanks for giving me your awesome feedback guys, I didn't expect that a lot of people will like what I did here. Tee hee. **_


	4. Chapter 3: Part I

**Five Years Ago**

"Congratulations, Mrs. Uchiha you are two months pregnant."

She took the test yesterday and it came positive. Sakura has yet to tell anyone but Mikoto about it because she needs to make sure first. Her doctor reminded her to be careful because during her last stages of pregnancy with Sarada, she had to be confined in bed rest since she overworked herself with clan duties.

Sakura left Dr. Yakushi's clinic with a huge smile on her face because she cannot wait to tell her husband about the good news. She's very certain that he will be happy to hear that their family is getting bigger.

When she told Sasuke about Sarada, no words came out of his mouth. His face lit up and he embraced her. His expression was priceless; no one would actually think that the stoic Sasuke Uchiha is capable of showing that much emotion.

At the insistence of the elders, she has to be escorted by a chauffeur and two bodyguards at all times because it's part of the perks of her role as the future matriarch of their clan. At first she found it too uncomfortable because she was an average girl living a normal life until she married into an insanely rich family. Now that she's an Uchiha, cameras follow her around everywhere she goes.

Her chauffeur drove her straight to the manor after her appointment upon the instructions left by her mother-in-law who couldn't wait to hear the results of her test. Mikoto Uchiha are among those whom she can confide with within the walls of their estate, after all, a lot of women in the clan have a hard time accepting that Sasuke married her because they have groomed their daughters into fine young ladies who are far more capable and "cultured" than her.

"Mother, it's positive. I'm two months along."

Mikoto Uchiha was ecstatic upon hearing the good news. She's going to be a grandma again for her youngest son's wife is expecting her second child. She's totally happy with her granddaughter, Sarada because she's a delightful child despite the vile words coming from the elders who constantly criticize Sakura's parenting style.

Mikoto is always worried about her daughter-in-law because the majority of the clan disapproves of Sakura because of her upbringing. She wasn't from an elite family and all her life she has to prove herself by working so hard and pushing herself to her limit until she reaches her goal. At the same time, that was the reason why she supported Sasuke's decision to marry Sakura because Mikoto knew right then that she can be a good matriarch in the future.

* * *

Sakura was six months pregnant when she was asked to oversee the planning of the biggest project of the charity organization under the supervision of the women of the Uchiha clan.

Regardless of Mikoto's plea to let her rest, she was still compelled to take the job because she knows that they want to see her fail.

Sakura can't let that happen, that's why she pushed herself to create something different from their usual dressing up and fancy luncheon.

She wants her husband's hoity toity relatives to see who benefits from their "kindness". Besides, having the Uchihas seen interacting with the impoverished side of Konoha is good for the company's image.

At the same time, she couldn't help but feel amused at the sight of Sasuke's relatives trying their best to hide their dismay by pretending like they can relate with how commoners speak and act.

Sakura thought that she won this round, but she was dead wrong.

Uchiha Uruchi, her husband's "favorite" aunt brought her daughter Kohana who was rumored to be Sasuke's first love.

"Oh! I wonder what could have been Mikoto-sama if my Kohana and Sasuke-kun ended up together." Said Uruchi who was obviously trying to provoke Sakura.

Thankfully, her mother-in-law was quick to come to her rescue.

"I'm sure that Kohana-chan will find the right man for her soon enough. Isn't that right, dear?"

"Indeed, Obaa-sama" Kohana had no choice but to agree because nobody in her ranks would dare to come across with the formidable matriarch of the Uchiha clan.

Although, she couldn't help but feel disappointed that Sasuke didn't choose her. Instead, he married a measly commoner who doesn't have a single idea about how to organize occasions according to their liking.

Kohana was groomed to be the perfect wife for the future leader of their clan. As young as 6, her strict mother made her learn proper etiquette and play classical instruments. She spent her entire life trying her best to be the proper lady her mother wanted her to be but, in the end she lost her "prince" to Sakura Haruno - a nobody.

Sasuke promised to his pregnant wife that he'll go straight to her event right after his meeting. However, it's taking too long. He wants to end it right away, but he cannot afford to disappoint his father, especially right now, when he's training to be Fugaku Uchiha's successor.

He asked his secretary to send his wife a bouquet of her favorite flowers and a note that he's going to be a little late.

As soon as his meeting with the board finished, Sasuke called his chauffeur immediately so he can make still make it in Sakura's event. Even if his wife told him that it's alright if he cannot make it, Sasuke can't allow himself to break his promise because he wants to be there for his wife. He knows what kind of things his greedy relatives are capable of doing to humiliate her and doesn't want anything to happen to Sakura.

Once he got there, he saw his wife chatting happily with the beneficiaries of their foundation. It is truly obvious that her desire to help people in need is genuine because she doesn't care if she's talking to less fortunate people, or if they are wearing shabby clothes. That is why, he cannot help but feel guilty for Sakura's decision to stop from finishing med school because it has always been her dream to become a doctor, but now, she can't pursue it because she has to look after their growing family and focus on learning the medieval traditions of his clan.

"Sasuke-kun!" Her face lit up even more once she saw him. Sakura gave him a kiss on the cheek, which made him blush a little. After being married for nearly 7 years he still couldn't get used to showing affection in public, that is why he reacts like a silly teenager whenever his wife acts affectionate with him in public.

He looked away to hide his blush, and held her hand, which made Sakura giggle softly.

"How was everything here?" Sasuke asked.

"It's a success, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chirped. She cannot wait to tell him about the rest later because they still have to pick up Sarada from school. They both promised that they will take their almost 7-year old daughter at her favorite ice cream shop after the event.

They were about to leave when Kohana called Sasuke who was surprised to see his distant cousin (rumored first love). The last time he heard from her was years ago, after announcing his intention to marry Sakura.

"It's been a long time, Sasuke-kun!" Even after all these years, Sasuke Uchiha remained the most handsome man in Kohana's eyes. If Aunt Mikoto did not intervene, she would have jumped into his arms without a care about his little wife. After all, she's the one who was supposed to marry Sasuke.

Sakura on the other hand, tried her best to keep her composure despite the jealousy that she has been feeling inside since her husband's distant cousin showed her face. It's pretty irrational for her to feel this way, but she cannot help it because it is a known fact that her husband's family would have preferred someone like Kohana to be in her place instead of an outsider without a tinge of aristocracy in her blood.

Sasuke wasn't in the mood for small talks today. Frankly, he was never fond of speaking and mingling with all of his relatives, especially those from the lower branch of his clan because all of them are power hungry people who are desperate to rise up from their ranks and have control over the business.

He knew that a lot of his relatives raised their daughters to be "suitable" brides for him and Itachi because of their desire for more wealth and power.

"Sasuke-sama, ojou-sama's class ended five minutes ago." It's a good thing that Aoda was quick to usher him and his wife away from his cousin.

"We better go Anata, Sarada is waiting for us." Sakura linked her arm to her husband's who was quite amused at her sudden display of possessiveness. Pregnant women are certainly not to be messed with, especially if it's Sakura Uchiha.

Little Sarada was swaying her legs back and forth while she was waiting for Mama and Papa to pick her up. Last night, they promised that they will take her to her favorite ice cream shop because her grades are good.

"Ne, Sarada don't you want to go home with us?" It's Boruto again. He does nothing but annoy her all the time. Mama would often tell her that Papa and Uncle Naruto used to be the same when they were younger, but Sarada thinks that she and Boruto are nothing like that because Papa and Uncle Naruto are very good friends.

"Hmpf. Mama and Papa are picking me up so you can go ahead." Sarada's prim and proper behavior often ticks him off, Shikadai and Inojin would often say the same thing too, but their words are nicer because they know how it's like to be part of a clan.

Besides, they all heard some of the teachers talking about Sarada having a teacher for etiquette and classical literature, as well as traditional arts and customs of Konoha.

"Oh, okay then. Ja ne!" He's not going to push it today.

Minutes after Boruto and his gang left, a teacher called her because her parents have arrived. Sarada ran outside Konoha Prep's waiting area, it's been a while since Mama and Papa took her to their favorite mall that's why she can't help but feel excited.

"You can only have one scoop, understood?" Sakura said sternly. She knows how much her daughter loves s but she cannot afford to have her daughter's teeth rot from too much sweets.

Sarada pouted and looked at her Papa. It's as if she's asking him to let her have another scoop. Sasuke gulped. He cannot resist his daughter's cute face, but he also can't go against his wife when it comes to disciplining their daughter especially when her moods are so unpredictable.

* * *

It has been a stressful week for Sasuke because his father entrusted him to deal with the fiasco caused by the board's decision to cut off the deal with En Oyashiro's company after the latter was found guilty of human trafficking in the borders of Kumogakure and Kirigakure. He managed to convince the board to back out from investing 200 billion ryo in Oyashiro's luxurious casino hotel. It was only Teyaki Uchiha who kept on insisting that the allegations against Oyashiro were not true, that's why Sasuke asked Shisui to investigate about Teyaki's relationship with En Oyashiro.

Shisui was able to obtain all the necessary intel as fast as he could and he found out that Teyaki was apparently involved with En Oyashiro's illegal activities in Konoha.

"It has to be dealt with immediately." Said Fugaku who was massaging his temples. It's a huge problem because someone from the clan was involved with illegal activities in the Fire country.

"I think it's best for us to turn in Uncle Teyaki to the authorities. That gesture alone would send a message to the public that we do not tolerate anyone from our clan." Itachi suggested. He was called back home to help out in handling Uchiha Inc.'s PR nightmare, because he's skilled with solving crises like this.

They had Teyaki Uchiha arrested and the elders had his family stripped off their privileges, which means none of them are welcome in the clan's estates anymore.

It was also found out that Teyaki has been embezzling money from Uchiha Inc. because of his gambling problem and his family's expensive lifestyle which they can barely afford.

Sakura can't stop pacing back and forth after watching the morning news because it's about the arrest of Uncle Teyaki and his relationship with business mogul, En Oyashiro. She's worried about her husband's safety because it's not impossible that these people could be targeting him because he convinced the board to drop their investment. These people could hurt Sarada too, and she cannot let that happen. If she must confine her daughter inside the house until it's safe, she will do it just to make sure that no harm comes to her precious child. Lately, Sasuke hasn't been getting a lot of sleep, since he has to work with Itachi and Shisui in stitching up the damages caused by their relative's involvement with illegal activities. Of course, Mikoto advised her not to worry because Sasuke can take care of himself and she should think more about her health.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

Apparently, her mother-in-law asked one of their maids to bring her tea. "This will help you calm your nerves, Lady Sakura" the servant said as she poured tea.

"Thank you." Sakura took a sip and the servant girl made her way out with a polite bow.

All of a sudden, she felt dizzy and her vision became blurry. She tried to stand up, but her knees wobbled. Then, everything went black.

* * *

**A/n: **Hi everyone! Your kind words are the reason why I'm trying my best to continue writing this. I am grateful for all who gave their feedback as well as those who liked and followed this story. I feel bad that I can't give frequent updates because I can't bring my laptop at work and it's a little hard for me to compose in my mobile phone because I tend to feel a little oc when it comes to the formatting and spacing. Also, I'm really sorry (again) for ending the chapter here. Although, I promise that in the coming chapters I will try my absolute best to make them longer. Again, thanks a lot for reading my story!

About the error, I tried to fix it using my mobile phone, but it didn't work that's why I had to wait for my rest day so I can edit this chapter on my laptop.


	5. AN: Details on the cont of this fanfic

Hi Everyone!

I know it's been a year since the last time I've published an update. It wasn't easy on my part to keep on writing as much as I want to because I worked 9 hours a day and had to endure a dreadful 6 hour commute every single day. However, I quit my job a few weeks ago to focus on my well being because this pandemic hasn't been good for my mental health and I don't think it has been good to everyone at every corner of the world. I feel sad that lots of people had to lose their family and friends because of the virus and cannot mourn for them properly.

I hope that you guys are coping well and following safety protocols to lessen the probability of contracting the virus. Please wear face masks and wash your hands properly.

On another note, I am going to continue the rest of this story on Wattpad. Here's the link of my account,

user/Alli_Rae

Please follow me to read the rest of this story.

Thank you so much and stay safe!


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